Hot Chocolate Mix

[kelleybean]

Hello Everone

This year for Christmas I want to make jars of Hot Chocolate Mix as gifts. I did a search for Hot Chocolate Mixes and all I seem to find are recipes that use hot chocolate mix to make a mix. I don't know about you but that seems pretty silly to me. If anybody has any good ideas for a yummy mix then (PLEASE} feel free to share it with me.

TIA,
Kelley

 

[allie]

I have a recipe that uses Nestle Quik instead of hot cocoa mix. I will share it if you're interested.

 

[kokopuffs]

Droste's Cocoa from Holland.

 

[amazingrace]

Look HERE---> Hot Cocoa Mix Video It seems to always open with something totally unrelated, but it eventually goes into the Hot Cocoa information. Your patience will be rewarded. :look:

I've made this mix, and it is very tasty. You can jazz it up with instant coffee, peppermint patties, or anything else that sounds good to you. For a finer mix, run it in the blender for about 8 to 10 pulses. As shown in the video, it's best to moisten the mix first with hot water, before filling the cup to the top. As part of this lovely gift, you might want to include a mini-whisk, or a specialty beverage stirrer. One I especially like is offered by Pampered Chef, but if there's a cooking store close by, you may find something there too. (and there are some battery powered beverages mixer available...cute, but they bump up the cost of the gift considerably).

 

[mastersniper]

Alton Brown has a recipe that seems like a good starting point I remembered seeing it on a show a few years back here is a link:

Hot Cocoa Recipe : Alton Brown : Food Network

 

[amazingrace]

Yep. That's the same recipe he shows in the video link I posted. :thumb:

 

[kelleybean]

Thank you everybody for all of your help. I hope you are all having a great holiday season so far.

 

[kokopuffs]

Using Droste's from Holland, I mix at least 1 TBS with 1 1/2 tsp turbinado sugar. While 8 oz of milk or extra rich milk or milk mixed with half-and-half is heating on the stove, I make a thickish paste of the sugar/cocoa mixture mixed with some half-and-half or cream.

Once the heated dairy approaches scalded temperatures, it's all poured into the cup that holds the paste and then mixed together ever so slightly in order to retain some froth.

Next time, however, after having Alton Brown's recipe, I intend to add a small pinch of cayenne and perhaps some dry milk, too, to see what's produced.

 

[marmalady]

I've had this one for years - have no idea where it came from.

Hot Cocoa Mix - Makes 17 cups

10-2/3 c. instant non-fat powdered milk
1 (6-oz) jar powdered nondairy creamer
4 c. powdered sugar
2 ¼ cups unsweetened cocoa powder (Hershey, Droste, or Ghiardelli)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 17 cups of mix. For 1 serving, stir 3 Tablespoons Cocoa Mix into 1 cup of hot water until dissolved. Or ¾ cup of hot water, mix and then add some half and half or cream.

 

[kokopuffs]

BDL stated <<...Mexican chocolate has vanilla, almonds, cinnamon, and all sorts of other things -- and is delicious when made into a yummy beverage...>>

Would the preferred cinnamon be Vietnamese or Ceylon? And just an fyi I use a pinch of the latter in my beef stews.

 

[boar_d_laze]

Mexican, aka canela.

BDL

 

[petalsandcoco]

Does a good hot chocolate have pepper in it ?

There are two ways of making it......Hot Cocoa , made with cocoa powder and hot chocolate from 6 oz of finely chopped dark.

The mayan drink has many of the ingredients that Chef BDL mentioned.

But could the secret ingredient "pepper" be the addictive source as why Mexican, Central American, and European hot chocolate tastes so great ?

Some places in Paris make it with Mascarpone and cream....

Just a thought.....

 

[siduri]

Italian hot chocolate is to American hot chocolate as Italian coffee is to American coffee.
It's dense and very dark and sweet. I like the chocolate, but not the espresso.
No pepper or mascarpone though.
You mix lots of cocoa (3 heaping tsp or more per teacup) and an equal amount or more of sugar. Add a little cold water, about 1/4 cup, a little at a time and mix well and cook it slowly for a while. Only then do you add the milk and heat. It makes a teacup;s worth. People take it with a spoon sometimes. Some put whipped cream on it.

For my taste a few grains of salt add a lot, but Italians don't (and wouldn't) add salt.

I've read that the water brings out the flavor of chocolate and this is extremely chocolatey. I also like american hot chocolate which is more like milk chocolate, but this is more like semisweet dark chocolate, and is usually what i make.

I've tried it with vanilla (i like it) coffee (i like it) and cinnamon (thought i;d like it but i find it to be too strong and takes away from the chocolate experience, but i can understand why it would be appealing.) Never heard of pepper, but that something I would like. Will try it.

Of course, all of this is off topic and doesn;t help with the hot chocolate mix question.
Commercial Italian hot chocolate mixes usually have cornstarch in them. You're supposed to cook them and the chocolate comes out very thick, like thin very dark pudding. People might find that appealing.

I've heard many people really liking hot chocolate mixes, though I don't see much point when what you're making a mix for is just "mix cocoa and sugar, add water, add milk". It's hardly rocket science.
actually, this was just a ploy to get you to see this
YouTube - Brain Surgeon - That Mitchell & Webb Look , Series 3 - BBC Two

 

[boar_d_laze]

Siduri -- If your idea of making good hot chocolate includes making a water, sugar, chocolate syurp and whatevvah as the first step -- yes. I mean, si. Don't worry too much about the canela in the (Mexican) chocolate, overall it's very rich and smooth, without a standout cinnamon taste. After the chocolate, the first thing you'll notice is the vanilla.

Petals -- You love chocolate too much. Pepper has got to be a minority choice.

BDL

PS. What's not to like about Italian coffee?

 

[kokopuffs]

Sidure stated: <<...I've tried it with vanilla (i like it) coffee (i like it) and cinnamon (thought i;d like it but i find it to be too strong and takes away from the chocolate experience, but i can understand why it would be appealing.) Never heard of pepper, but that something I would like. Will try it...>>

Siduri, try using Ceylon cinnamon from Penzey's; it's a much much mellower flavor than standard [Vietnamese] cinnamon. And that's why I add a bit of it to my beef stews.

 

[siduri]

Nothing's not to like, I just don;t like it! (No accounting for taste). I like my coffee with lots of milk - I don't like the taste of black coffee. Espresso is very black coffee! I've had it occasionally after a very big meal, and it works like draino of the stomach for me. Seriously, though, it;s not a bad taste, but not my preferred one. I do like cappuccino, though, just not espresso.
Also i like coffee as a companion, or as a medium for a long chat. Espresso is so quick you can;t read a book with it, it gets cold even if ytou take it to the next room, and it's totally unsocial - if you go for a coffee with someone here, it's pop in the bar, swallow a thick syrupy spoonful of coffee while standing and walk out - no time for conversation.

 

[kiwi9845]

Kelleybean, here’s a great recipe for a Hot Chocolate Mix in a Jar.

Hot Chocolate Mix
1 3/4 cups - nonfat dry milk powder
3/4 cup - unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup - firmly packed Domino[emoji]174[/emoji] Brownulated Sugar
1/4 cup - Domino[emoji]174[/emoji] Granulated Sugar

Layer ingredients carefully in a quart jar to package and give. Seal tightly. Add mini marshmallows or chocolate chips to fill additional room and add a sweet treat to your mix. Decorate lid by cutting fabric into a 7-inch wide square or circle. Secure with a rubber band and tie with a decorative ribbon and accents.

To reconstitute, mix ingredients well. For a single serving, add 8 oz freshly boiled water to 1/2 cup mix in mug. Stir until completely dissolved.

You can add your own flavorings to it as well like Vanilla or Cinnamon and even download printable gift tags to attach to your jars from our holiday site as decoration. Hope this helps you out!

 

[ishbel]

I don't really like the hotchoc drinks - far too sweet for my tastebuds! I use cocoa powder and sugar, mixed together with a little cold milk. I heat milk until nearly boiling and add the mixture to the saucepan.. Whisk until it returns to nearly bp - cool a little and drink!

 

[kokopuffs]

Same here, Ishbel! But for premixing the cocoa powder and sugar, try using either cream or half and half. Makes for a better, thicker mouthfeel.

 

[ishbel]

Sadly, nowadays I have to avoid anything with sugar or high fats I live vicariously by cooking wonderful puddings, cakes and biscuits for friends and family!

Even hot cocoa is on my 'can't have' list.... but I still make it for family - and just take deep 'sniff' whilst preparing it!